Chapter 92: The Wrong Kind of Fan Club

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"What do you want?" Koko asked, her eyes wandering around the figures around her so that she could track their movements.

"Nothing more than to wish you well." The lead cultist replied. "For you, who has the blood of demons, are our idol."

"I don't know what your version of an idol is, but I doubt that I want to have anything to do with it." Koko voiced suspiciously. "I also doubt that's all that you're here for. Otherwise you wouldn't have needed to lead me here."

"Believe it or not, those of our order are not welcome in the public." The head cultist sighed. "We led you here so that we could give you a gift in celebration of your becoming a second year at the Adventurers Academy."

"No thanks, not interested." Koko waved the offer away immediately.

"You could at least hear what it is first!" The head cultist snapped before he cleared his throat and another cultist appeared behind the man while carrying a box.

"If it's the head of a goat or something, none of you are leaving her without at least one broken limb." Koko threatened as soon as she saw the box. "And just what were you talking about when you said that I have the 'blood of demons'? If you're talking about the thing that I used against you last time then it's a special ability, nothing more."

"A special ability that normal people cannot use, not unless they are somehow related to demons." The lead cultist replied. "And as we are an order that wishes for nothing but the revival of the demons, I trust you know just how special you are to us."

"I'm not joining your cult and I'm not accepting whatever is in that box either. Please leave." Koko crossed her arms and looked at them as if they were trash in hopes of ending their apparent interest in her. Though it seemed to have the opposite effect than what she'd wanted.

"Cruel words with eyes that look down at humanity as if we are merely garbage... You truly do your demon heritage proud!" The cultist leader shouted happily. "We will leave it here, and please, don't hesitate to use it should you find yourself in danger. After all, with your low MP, you should find it invaluable."

"Whatever it is, it's cursed, isn't it?" Koko asked suspiciously.

"Not this time, no. Though it may show you a glimpse of your true potential." The man chuckled. "And with that, we will take our leave. Just know that you will always have our full support, Lady Koko. Both as an adventurer, and as the potential spouse for the Great One."

"Say what now?" Koko asked, though her question went unanswered as all of the cultists that had surround her suddenly vanished into mist and Koko found herself alone in the alleyway. Though seeing as she was just glad that they were gone, Koko breathed a sigh of relief before she looked at the box that the cultists had left on the street in front of her, wondering about just what might be inside of it.

"Please don't be a severed limb or anything gross." Koko mumbled to herself, realizing that she couldn't just stand there and look at the box forever before she hesitantly opened the lid to find that the container was nearly completely filled with a dark-blue cushion. And on the cushion resided a silver amulet in the shape of a star that had been embedded with dark-red rubies with the chain connected to it hidden behind the cushion.

"I guess this is the part where I blindly put it around my neck just because they said that it'll help me." Koko pondered to herself out loud before she slammed the lid back down on the box. "Like I'd do that!"

Grabbing the box and slipping her shoes back on, Koko ran back the way she came while hoping to find Christina. Though when she arrived back at the dance, she had to search through the crowd for several minutes before she eventually saw a pouting Richard and an irritated Christina before they finally spotted her and ran forward.

"Where were you?!"

"You totally ditched our dance!" Christina and Richard both said at the same time as they stopped in front of her.

"I was in an alley trying to save a girl in distress before I was cornered by over fifty cultists." Koko replied irritably towards Richard as he seemed to be concerned about the wrong thing at the moment. Though he lost his miserable look soon afterwords as he became concerned.

"Are you alright? They weren't the same ones that were after me, were they?" He asked.

"They sure were, though they don't want you anymore. Apparently they already succeeded in whatever they needed to sacrifice you for." Koko replied seriously as, even if her friend was safe now, she doubted that the cult having what they needed was a good thing. "But what's really weird is that they just lured me away from everyone else so that they could say that I'm their idol and also so that they could give me an amulet that's inside of this box."

"Their idol? I didn't even think that they had idols in Elnor... I wanna go see a cat girl idol!" Richard exclaimed with stars in his eyes.

"Hey, I could have died!" Koko snapped her fingers in front of Richard in order to drag his attention back to reality. "Focus!"

"Right, sorry..." Richard apologized.

"They gave you an amulet? You haven't tried it on, have you?!" Christina asked in a panic.

"What kind of idiot do you take me for?!" Koko now snapped at Christina. "They said that it would help me if I ever need it, but I'm still not even going to look at it until I'm sure that it's not cursed or poisonous."

"Yeah, good call." Richard agreed. "Do we know anyone that might be able to identify it?"

"We can ask the High-Bishop." Christina offered. "We're going to need to let both him and King Xavier know that we made contact with the cultists again anyway."

"Alright, so where is he?" Koko asked.

"He should be participating in a private party being held inside of the castle for the nobility." Christina replied. "Koko and I will be able to enter, though Richard is probably going to have to stay here."

"Great, so not only am I getting cheated out of my dance, but I can't even go see what the amulet is?" Richard complained.

"Sorry Richard, but I promise to make it up to you later." Koko assured him.

"Maybe another visit from a maid?" Richard suggested.

"Keep dreaming, buddy." Koko crushed his hopes.



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Vexitus here! Sorry everyone, but I have to announce that I am once again going to have to take a week off from uploading new chapters. I apologize, but my other works is keeping me busy enough that I hardly find the time for it, though I promise that updates will continue as planned the week after. Again, sorry and I appreciate your understanding!

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